Chardonnay Showdown Post #11
100% Chardonnay from South Africa. 10 months in French oak barrels. SRP of $16, but available for as low as $13. Sample received courtesy The Hess Collection for review purposes.
From the bottle:
“Created in characteristic Glen Carlou style, this unique Chardonnay has its origins in French oak barriques and was matured for ten months sur lie. The result is a rich, round and complex wine with harmonious balance between fruit and oak. Enjoy now, or within five years from harvest. An ideal accompaniment to fine food dishes requiring a white wine with poise and structure.
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When I started the Showdown, I really thought that the unoaked Chardonnays would win hands down, but that really hasn’t been the case. The 2009 Glen Carlou Chardonnay is another wine that has had a pretty significant amount of time in oak, and in this case, it really shows. On the nose are aromas of mango, and almond or butterscotch. The wine tastes of lemon, pear, apple, and oak. So far so good, but it’s the finish where the oak just overpowers and this is where I have to draw the line for too much oak. Amazing that we’re 11 wines in and this is the first Chardonnay with really too much oak. It’s not that this wine is bad, it’s really quite good otherwise and I think it could have been really great with a little less oak.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
